Irfan Pathan's Bold Call: Varun Chakravarthy In, Kuldeep Yadav Out for India-Australia T20 Opener

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made a bold prediction ahead of the T20 series opener against Australia, omitting premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav in favor of mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy for India's playing XI. Pathan's selection largely mirrors the squad that clinched victory at the Asia Cup last month, a testament to its effective lineup.

Pathan emphasized continuity in the batting order by choosing vice-captain Shubman Gill alongside 'best T20 batter' Abhishek Sharma at the top. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav has been placed at number three, theoretically strengthening the lineup, followed by players like Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson. Axar Patel and Shivam Dube provide further depth.

The exclusion of Kuldeep is in light of the playing conditions in Canberra, favoring a pace attack featuring Harshit Rana, Indian top T20I wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh, and the renowned Jasprit Bumrah. This leaves Pathan to choose between Kuldeep and Chakravarthy, weighing in favor of the latter.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed the strategic challenges of team selection from India's burgeoning talent pool, including spinners and fast bowlers. Noting a 'good headache' to have, he praised the team culture of understanding the ultimate goal—winning games, even if it means making tough squad choices.

Pathan's predicted playing XI for the upcoming match reads: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.